Wednesday, January 15, 2014

It's very easy for a Christian to become discouraged and forget just how
wonderful it is to have salvation. Many times, we just need to slow
down, find a quiet place to pray, and go over the basics one by one.
When we are too busy juggling school, friends, and extracurricular
activities, it is very shocking to be confronted by an unbeliever asking
the simplest question about Christianity, and having to meekly respond,
"I don't know." I have been conscience-stricken in this way. Yet
sometimes it does take an event such as this to jolt us out of our
comfortable little routines and really wonder, "What does the Bible say
about that?" Of course, it is preferable to ask that person if you could
call them later, or discuss it tomorrow, after you have had time to
"research" a little. The only catch on this solution is that you have to
actually remember to study your Bible and contact the person!

We all will, eventually, encounter someone who has a question about our
faith. It is important for us to be prepared as much as possible in case
this happens soon. Yet sometimes you will be asked more than a simple
question about Christianity, and that person may have the intention of
ridiculing your beliefs or even flatly denying the truth of God's Word.
Sadly, this happens more often than is preferable, so be mentally
prepared for anything. The very natural response to this is to
immediately become angry and defensive about what you believe. However,
we should, as Christians, approach this sort of situation with the
opposite behavior. Take a deep breath and be silent for a moment. If you
have access to a Bible, then make sure you have it before continuing.
Then speak at a moderate tone about what God says in the Bible about the
subject in question. Do not be indecisive about your words and speak
with uncertainty, "Well I think this is right," or "Maybe...um...I'm
not completely sure...", if you believe what you are saying is true,
then speak out! The truth may be harder to tell than not, but it's what
this person needs to hear! As you speak, be sure to show them Bible
verses that correspond with the current issue. Sometimes printed writing
on paper will be more useful than anything you can tell them.

That said, there is a point where you realize that the person you are
talking to only wants to argue with your opinion and is not really
listening to what you are saying. Do not restate the truth over and
over. Our job as Christians is to plant that seed of truth and then let
God do His will, not to talk down another person. If you need some more
time to think, pray, and research about this topic then politely ask if
you could discuss it later, after you had looked up some more Bible
verses on this subject. This shows the person that you are not backing
down from the truth, but trying to tell it better to them. The thing to
remind yourself is that no matter what happens, this is God's will! He
wants you to be a witness for Him, and so placed you there to show your
faith. God doesn't have to use us to tell others about Him, but He chose
to. I like to think of this as a chance to do something for Jesus, and
even though we can never repay Him fully for His mercy, we get a chance
to be like Him and show the truth to others! So try not to be caught
unprepared. And don't be afraid to defend your faith!